Pats slam Blue Crabs

The Patriots already had hit three home runs when Josh Pressley stepped to the plate with the bases loaded in the third inning.

It was about to be four.

Pressley jumped on the first pitch from Craig Anderson and sent it over the left-center-field fence for a grand slam that helped the Patriots cruise to an 8-3 victory against the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs at TD Bank Ballpark.

Joe Burke homered in the first inning, while Noah Hall and J.R. Hopf hit back-to-back shots in the second.

The Blue Crabs got one run back in the top of the third before Pressley put the game out of reach.

Starting pitcher Jonathon Ellis (3-2) battled through five innings for the victory. He walked four and gave up four hits on 96 pitches.

Cahill, who was making his first appearance since allowing 10 runs in one inning Aug. 17, tossed a scoreless 1 1/3 innings and got a big out. He retired Travis Garc ia with a runner on second base and two outs in the seventh to protect a 7-3 lead.